Harlem Gang Leader, 1948

Red and Herbie Levi at the Funeral of Maurice Gaines, Harlem, New York, 1948

Untitled, Harlem, New York, 1948

Untitled, Harlem, New York, 1948

Gang Member Graffitis a Wall, Harlem, New York, 1948

Untitled, Harlem, New York, 1948

About

The first story that Parks proposed to Life magazine was a piece on the gang wars that were consuming Harlem in the late 1940s. These Harlem photographs reflect Parks' ambition to depict Harlem's brutality by presenting Red Jackson, a young Harlem gang leader, along with his gang's members, in quiet, contemplative moments, as well as the intensity of street brawls. The photographs Parks shot were published in a photo essay, "Harlem Gang Leader", in Life's November 1, 1948 issue.

The Gordon Parks Foundation permanently preserves the work of Gordon Parks, makes it available to the public through exhibitions, books, and electronic media and supports artistic and educational activities that advance what Gordon described as "the common search for a better life and a better world."